Introduction to Tanzania Coffee Bean Grading System & Brewing Methods

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FrontStreet Coffee - Tanzania Coffee and Common Brewing Methods

Grading

Tanzania grades coffee the same way Kenya does, by bean size and flavor. Sizes rank as follows:

AA Plus (AA+) - exceptional cup quality (flavor, mouthfeel) AA grade
AA - Screen Size 17-18
AB - Screen Size 15-16, making up most of production
C - Smaller than AB screen size

TT - lighter-weight beans blown out of AA and AB grade beans using air classifiers
T - lighter-weight beans blown out of C grade beans using air classifiers

E - Elephant Bean, a large mutant bean with two beans fused together, also called elephant ear
UG - beans that do not meet the standards above
PB - Peaberry, classified by shape, unrelated to flavor or weight

Flavor grades rank as TOP, PLUS and FAQ. FAQ stands for "Fair to Average Quality" and may include a few minor defective beans, though these do not affect the flavor.

Coffee Flavor Profile

Compared with its neighbor Kenya, Tanzania coffee has less bright acidity and shows a softer, gentler beauty, with more sweetness and rich wine notes - a hallmark of the origin.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, stands in northeastern Tanzania. Bourbon variety coffee was first introduced in 1893, and washed processing is the main method for green beans. High-quality, high-altitude Tanzania coffee, like Kenya's, shows active, bright acidity.

Brewing Methods

Espresso Machine

A steam-pressure coffee maker extracts coffee liquid instantly using steam pressure. The rich, bitter steam coffee is the foundation of many coffee styles and has grown increasingly popular over the years.

Pour-Over Coffee

The simplest brewing method. Filter paper can be used once and thrown away immediately, which is more hygienic and easier to clean up, and both the amount of hot water and the pouring method can be adjusted. Single servings are easy, making it the best method for small groups. Drippers come in one-hole and three-hole types; here we use the three-hole type. The kettle spout should be narrow and pointed so hot water can be poured vertically onto the coffee grounds.

Tanzania coffee is a single-origin coffee, so FrontStreet Coffee recommends pour-over as the best approach - and the most effective way to brew out the flavors of coffees from different countries and regions.

More to Know

The Haya tribe in northwestern Tanzania introduced coffee from Ethiopia, known as Haya coffee or "anwani" coffee. It was consumed as a stimulant by chewing the cherries rather than as a beverage. Coffee was used as currency, and growing it required permission from tribal leaders.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

With grading and brewing as the themes here, it is worth pairing a Tanzania with a bean that shines on both a pour-over and an espresso machine. The FrontStreet Classic Blend is the traditional choice: built for espresso and moka pot, it uses the classic Mamba blend recipe and pulls a dense, fine crema even from a non-professional home machine. Creamy and mellow, it accepts a wide range of drinkers and suits both home and cafe use. For anyone watching costs, the FrontStreet Dark Cocoa Blend uses 100% Arabica, with generous crema, a full body and a friendly price - a practical everyday espresso option.

If you would rather go single-origin, the FrontStreet Yunnan Sun-Dried Hualkui SOE shows what a single origin can do under pressure. Grown in Hambella, Guji, Ethiopia, at altitudes up to 2,300 meters and processed naturally for extra sweetness, it is roasted medium so it keeps its floral-fruit character while caramelizing gently. As an Americano or a latte you get cream, cocoa, berry, light floral and black tea notes.

And for a high-sweetness single origin, the FrontStreet Costa Rica Blackberry SOE is a honey-processed coffee that trades acidity for dessert-like sweetness. Roasted medium, it makes a bright, refreshing Americano, while with milk it turns into cranberry cookie, raisin and nut notes.